Psalms 144:12-15 “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; That our daughters may be as pillars, Sculptured in palace style; (13) That our barns may be full, Supplying all kinds of produce; That our sheep may bring forth thousands And ten thousands in our fields; (14) That our oxen may be well laden; That there be no breaking in or going out; That there be no outcry in our streets. (15) Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!”
The question then is raised, as to what the children of God will eat in the age to come? Most will answer that question, by stating that just as the carnivores will become herbivores, so it is that people will also become vegetarians in the age to come. For clearly God has said that there will be no more death in the age to come (Revelation 21:4). However, in context, when God said that there would be no more death, He was talking specifically about mankind and not the animal kingdom. In the above passage of scripture, the Holy Spirit is describing what the new earth will be like. He is not describing the New Jerusalem, for as we will see in the series where we look at the New Jerusalem; there will be no farmlands in the heavenly city. Nevertheless, in this passage we clearly see farmlands that are blessed with all manner of produce, including vast flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. And so, whereas it could be argued that the vast flocks of sheep will be used for their wool, that same argument cannot be made for cattle, for cattle are bread for one purpose only and that is their meat, and ultimately sheep are also bread for the same purpose. God has not designed these types of animals for any other purpose than to be used for food, which is why in the age to come, it is specifically these animals that the children of God will stock on their farms.
2 Peter 2:12 “But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption.”
In the above passage of scripture, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter confirms the truth to us that certain of God creatures, are made by Him for the express purpose of being destroyed. In other words, they have been created by God to be slaughtered for mankind to eat. And so, that would include farm animals such as cattle and sheep.
Michael E.B. Maher
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